The Souvenir CardCollectors Society

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(FB) Forerunner, BEP    The 1876 Centennial Share Certificate is generally accepted as the earliest "souvenir card" produced by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. This massive, ornately engraved sheet was sold as a way to raise funds for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and kept by many donors as a memento. It was reprinted by the BEP in 1988 as FB-1988B. Over the years the Bureau was often called on to produce commemorative programs, invitations, World's Fair souvenirs and award diplomas, and memorial cards. Though significant print runs of some early cards are known, these numbers can be deceptive, as relatively few examples survived. Since these specialty BEP cards are still being produced, "FB" catalog numbers remain in use despite the fact that they are technically no longer "forerunners." Because unknown cards are regularly discovered, the SCCS adopted a year-based numbering system for all the forerunner categories. SCCS #:  FB-1882A Show/event:  President James Garfield Memorial Service Year:  1882 Dimensions:  6" x 9.75" # Printed:  9,536 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Portrait of Garfield surrounded by flags, Capitol and White House. Printed on smooth stock with black frame along border of card. This portrait was later used on currency. SCCS #:  FB-1882A(a) Show/event:  Frontispiece for "Memorial Address, Life and Character of James A. Garfield" Year:  1882 Dimensions:  7" x 11" # Printed:  26,229 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same design as FB1882A, but printed on larger card for inclusion in book. Book Cover. Printed on rougher card stock without black frame. SCCS #:  FB-1885A Show/event:  Washington Monument Dedication Ceremonies Invitation Year:  1885 Dimensions:  6.5" x 9.5" # Printed:  12,000 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Portrait of Washington flanked by female figures and flags, with momument obelisk in background and text below. Printed on white glossy stock. SCCS #:  FB-1885A(a) Show/event:  Frontispiece for "Dedication of the Washington Monument" Year:  1885 Dimensions:  6.75" x 10.25" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same design as FB1885A, but printed on larger card for inclusion in book. Book Cover. Printed on rougher, non-glossy card stock. SCCS #:  FB-1885B Show/event:  Washington Monument Dedication Ceremonies Invitation Year:  1885 Dimensions:  6.5" x 9.5" # Printed:  8,050 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same design as FB1885A, but printed on green colored glossy stock. These were presented with actual names filled in on invitation. SCCS #:  FB-1915A(a) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Title card Year:  1915 Dimensions:  6.75" x 9.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set sold by BEP at the expo. Portraits of President Wilson and VP Marshall, the Great Seal, Capitol and text. SCCS #:  FB-1915A(b) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Library of Congress Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; vignette of Library of Congress, with title below SCCS #:  FB-1915A(c) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - White House Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; vignette of White House (south entrance) with title below SCCS #:  FB-1915A(d) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Treasury Bldg Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; vignette of Treasury Dept. Building, with title below SCCS #:  FB-1915A(e) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Eagle Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; vignette of eagle clutching arrows and lightning under "E Pluribus Unum" banner. Engraved by Lorenzo Hatch, known as the "Hatch eagle" SCCS #:  FB-1915A(f) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Capitol Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; vignette of Capitol Building, with "The Capitol" title below SCCS #:  FB-1915A(g) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Battleship Year:  1915 Dimensions:  9.75" x 6.75" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Part of seven card set; large vignette of dreadnought battleship, titled U.S.S. Nebraska. SCCS #:  FB-1915B(a) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Capitol postcard Year:  1915 Dimensions:  5.375" x 3.125" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  Image Notes:  Same vignette as FB-1915A(f), with text on back from govt. demonstration printing press SCCS #:  FB-1915B(b) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - White House postcard Year:  1915 Dimensions:  5.375" x 3.125" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same vignette as FB-1915A(c), with text on back from govt. demonstration printing press SCCS #:  FB-1915B(c) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Library of Congress postcard Year:  1915 Dimensions:  5.375" x 3.125" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same vignette as FB-1915A(b), with text on back from govt. demonstration printing press SCCS #:  FB-1915B(d) Show/event:  Panama-Pacific Exposition - Treasury postcard Year:  1915 Dimensions:  5.375" x 3.125" # Printed:  Unknown Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Same vignette as FB-1915A(d), with text on back from govt. demonstration printing press SCCS #:  FB-1962A(a) Show/event:   BEP Centennial book - Frontispiece Year:  1962 Dimensions:  6.75" x 9.75" # Printed:  5,984 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Multicolor vignettes of Treasury Dept. and three BEP bldgs with titles and text, on bond paper.  Book Cover. SCCS #:  FB-1962A(b) Show/event:   BEP Centennial book - Great Seal Year:  1962 Dimensions:  6.75" x 9.75" # Printed:  5,984 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  blank Notes:  Multicolor lithograph titled "Coat of Arms of the United States of America" on bond paper SCCS #:  FB-1962A(c) Show/event:   BEP Centennial book - Lincoln Year:  1962 Dimensions:  6.75" x 9.75" # Printed:  5,984 Printer:  BEP Type:  Other Back:  BEP Text Notes:  Same vignette as FB-1915A(d), with text on back from govt. demonstration printing press